Cyrus Faʻamafoe | Student Spotlight
Cyrus Faʻamafoe
BS Candidate
Chemical Engineering
“The future of medicine is rooted in humanity. The future of the beauty industry is empowerment. As a chemical engineer, I work where both overlap.
In entering my time here at Stanford, my purpose was clear: to create tools that champion the individual instead of their problems. One of my passions lies in transforming the face of illness, especially in creating therapeutics and preventative medicine aimed at cancer and HIV/AIDS. I am driven by the dream that a chemical compound, carefully designed and meticulously delivered, can rewrite someone’s tomorrow. My passion also lies in formulating the next generation of beauty, engineering cosmetic and personal care products that inspire, embolden, and empower. Whether it’s designing drug delivery systems or formulating a skincare product, chemical engineering is one of the few disciplines that offers the flexibility to explore both. I fervently believe both are ways to improve lives physically, emotionally, and socially.
My favorite memories at Stanford have come from being on the executive board of AIChE and working in Dr. Appel’s lab. Through AIChE, I have found a close-knit community that surrounds me with peers and faculty who genuinely strive for mutual growth. The mentorship I’ve received, both from professors and upperclassmen, has made a massive university feel like a personal and collaborative space. Simultaneously, working in the Appel Lab has pushed me to fearlessly pursue research in immunotherapies and pharmaceuticals. I’ve had the opportunity to engage in translational medicine in a way that is both deeply technical and meaningfully human, giving me space to ask bold questions and directly contribute to real therapeutic potential.
Looking ahead, I plan to carry what I’ve learned at Stanford into both the pharmaceutical and beauty industries. I strive to be guided by the values my family and culture have instilled within me: service, reciprocity, and compassion. These principles that ground all my endeavors remind me that my work is never in vanity but in vitality.”
